Page 17 of Even if You Fall

“Ma’am,” the man said when I just stared blankly at him.

“H-hi,” I said awkwardly, then gave my head a little shake in an attempt to clear it and to put my best self forward. “I’m sorry—hi. How can I help you?”

“I need you to come with me.” When a bemused sound burst from me, he added, “There’s a warrant out for your arrest.”

“Excuse me?” I asked, the words a choked laugh because—just...what?“I think you have the wrong person.”

“Chloe Whitlock,” he said, making my stomach drop when he held out a piece of paper that had all my information and a picture of me on it, smiling like everything in the world was my absolute favorite and not like I had awarrant out for my arrest.

Something stirred in the back of my mind after the brief glance I got of that photo, because I knew that photo, but I was so dumbfounded that this was happening, that I kind of just stood there for a second before staggering back when he reached for me.

“It’d really be better for you if you came compliantly.”

“W-what—what’s the warrant for?” I asked, holding my hand out like I was about to stop an actual police officer.

“Miss Whitlock, if you’d just?—”

“I’ve never even been pulled over,” I began, my words rushed and harried. “I’m afraid to speed. I’ve never littered. I just don’t—” The ramble broke off when I noticed the places where the badge and name should be on the officer’s tactical vest were nothing more than Velcro cut-outs of the same shapes.

I froze in place as I zeroed in on the most innocent and deeply concerning things I’d ever witnessed, and realized at that exact moment where I knew that picture from.

It was my school ID photo.

That chill I’d become all too familiar with whenever Owen was near stole down my spine and made my stomach roll.

“Chloe Whitlock, you’re under arrest,” the officer began again.

“You aren’t telling me what the warrant’s for,” I said shakily as I managed to step back. Gripping the door with one hand, I tapped on the screen until the call to nine-one-one was going through. “Don’t you have to tell me what it’s for?”

“We’ll discuss that?—”

I slammed the door and flipped the deadbolt, putting all my weight against the door and lifting the phone just as the dispatcher finished asking what my emergency was.

“There’s a man outside my door,” I told the woman. “He’s dressed in a police uniform, but he doesn’t have a badge or name. He’s telling me I have a warrant out for my arrest, but won’t tell me what for.”

“Okay, ma’am,” the woman said in a calm voice. “Can you tell me your name and location?”

My body trembled as I backed away from the door until I was pressed against the adjacent wall. I slid down it as I spoke with the dispatcher and fought tears when she assured me I didn’t have any warrants and the names of therealofficers she was sending to me.

After talking with the deputies that showed, I nearly called Lainey a dozen times to see when she’d be home. Feeling like I needed to tell someone close to me about what happened and see if maybe Asher would stay at our house for the night...at least.

But my problems were my own. They always had been. This couldn’t be any different.

Besides, I had a feeling that man wouldn’t have been at my door if Lainey had been there. I had an even worse feeling he wouldn’t have shown if Owen hadn’t been there hours before.

“You haven’t filed one yet, and you won’t. I’d like to see what happens if you try though.”

Owen’s words floated through my mind from where I sat in my bed, pressed against the headboard, cradling my knees to my chest.

Did it make any sense for the fake police officer to be connected to Owen?Not at all.But the alternative that some random person had chosen hermit-y me—for...what? An abduction? A murder?—made even less sense.

Did I think Owen would go to those extreme lengths to scare me away from filing a restraining order? Or even to force me back to him?

My body jolted when a chime sounded, and I slowly looked over at where my phone rested near my feet. Scooping it up, my heart beat harder and faster when I saw the preview of the message I’d just received.

Unknown

I miss having you in my arms.

---